Marauders: Politcs
by JadeyTheKitty
Summary: Sirius has an important announcement to make... as soon as he can get someone to listen to him. One shot


**Marauders: Politics**

_Characters Contained:_ James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and Remus Lupin. Small appearances by various OCs from my _Marauders' Years_ series

_Disclaimer_: I neither own nor make a profit off of anything from the Harry Potter universe. J.K.Rowling is the one who created the series, y'know.

_Status_: One shot challenge for my friend J-chan. Complete.

* * *

The fire flickered eerily in the Gryffindor common room as it sent various shades of red and gold out across the unfinished assignments scattered across the room's many tables.

Sirius Black took full advantage of the frightening glow as he leered down at his fellow third year students, none of whom were paying him as much mind as he thought they were. "This," he announced with trace amounts of wicked glee entering his voice, "is our finest hour as students of this fine school."

"I thought that was _seventh_ year?" questioned a slightly plump girl.

"Back up," ordered another of those gathered. "_What_ 'fine' school?"

"Have more school spirit!" an older student ordered, giving the boy who had spoken a smack to the back of the head.

Sirius cleared his throat, raising one eyebrow. Did the students here have _no_ respect for him? Not even a little fear? How _dare_ they interrupt!

The chatter subsided slightly after a few more coughs and pointed glares until, finally, Sirius had his audience's attention back.

"As I speak – yes, at this very moment – the professors are gathering in secret to discuss one thing and one thing only." He paused, allowing his gaze to settle on each individual gathered, letting the dramatics mount before asking, "And do you know what that is?"

"Your expulsion," Julian answered, shining her Prefect badge meaningfully as the thirteen-year-old sent a deadly glare in her direction.

"Does anyone have a _relevant_ answer?"

Silence.

Gits. The lot of them.

Sirius heaved a huge sigh and dropped to his knees on the table, clasping his hands together in a pleading fashion as he tried to draw the attention of the only three Third Years that had thus far ignored him completely. "Help me enlighten them?" he implored.

James Potter allowed one eyebrow to slowly rise as a smirk spread across his face. "Your idea," he reminded simply. "I personally see no point in this one, Sirius."

Sirius's face fell, his hopes dashed. His life was over; his best friend wouldn't even aid him in this monumental task of informing the masses! And… and… he couldn't remember what else.

So.

Hopping back to his feet, he whipped out his wand to point it at each individual. Mary, Philip, Julian, Mark, Frank, Alice, Lily…

He stopped. Alice and Lily? No. No, no, no. Sirius didn't want them here. They could, quite plausibly, _ruin_ everything… if, of course, they had even bothered glancing up from homework.

"Your less than illuminated people are about to start leaving," Remus pointed out, sparing Sirius one short moment of attention before returning to his homework.

Remus, Sirius decided, had a point. Or something akin to one, for how much of a point could one have whilst buried in library books…?

Coughing lightly to regain any wavered attention, Sirius continued on with the same dramatic tone. "The teachers are – and I have this from a good source – plotting to unleash those of us in Third Year upon the world!"

There was a long pause filled only with the raised eyebrows of those who hadn't abandoned Sirius for homework, and the sound of Sirius's crazed laughter.

"We were told about Hogsmeade visits at the start of term," Mark pointed out, being careful to keep his voice soothing in hopes of calming Sirius. "I think… you've snapped."

At this point, Sirius finally gave up on 'enlightening the masses' and hopped down from his impromptu platform to join James and the others.

Remus sat down his book and stretched slightly as Sirius took a seat on the opposite couch. The book, Sirius noted with barely withheld distaste, wasn't even interesting (something about ancient government?) and yet the other boy had chosen it over his own friend's plight!

"Sirius."

The black haired boy blinked, glancing up at Remus. "Huh?"

James shook his head, hiding a snicker as Remus rubbed at the imaginary headache he always seemed accosted by.

"You are eyeing my book in the same way you usually look at things you plan to mutilate and/or destroy. Please stop."

Sirius frowned, pointing to himself with as much of an injured expression as he could muster. Eyeing him warningly, Remus nodded.

It was time for an entirely different tactic. Possibly something involving that ever-so-illusive 'super glue'. Attention was needed, and it was needed now.

"Will it make you feel better if we listen to your announcement?" James offered.

"Or if we go raid the kitchens with you…?" Peter suggested, finally dragging himself from staring off into space to join the conversation.

Sirius ignored the suggestions just long enough to free the random textbook that always seemed to be stuffed under the couch cushion during an unsystematic spurt of illogical rage that possessed all of the Fifth Year students every year around O.W.L. time.

The unfortunate book was on something to do with Numerology. Bloody thick.

James shook his head as his friend went off on a mental tangent. There was but one thing to do.

Deftly, James swiped Remus's book from the tabletop and used it to rap Sirius smartly over the head. "Let's put it this way: We _demand_ you explain why you were up there." He tossed the book back to Remus with a grin in response to the other boy's frown. "It'll help us 'evaluate' your current 'sanity level'. Eh, Remus?"

Remus snatched up his other books, eyeing the three boys warily as if he suspected they might try to take them from him. "Something like that," he mumbled.

"We'll listen to you, Sirius," assured Peter, nodding emphatically. "We just don't want to get in trouble for whatever you're up to."

"Correction. _Pete_ doesn't want to get in trouble. You know very well that _I_ have no problem with it." James shrugged widely. "I just can't do detention right now."

How dare they have lives?

"Traitors," Sirius accused offhandedly.

"So," James pressed. "What was that whole show about?"

Sirius glanced to the left and right quickly, but none of the others in the common room seemed the least interested in what he had to say.

"As Jamesie asked so nicely, I'll tell." Sirius let his words hang until he thought the suspense properly built. "I'm practicing."

Remus sighed. "For?"

Another pause, and then a slow grin. "Politics."

"Good Merlin, no."

"He'll be in detention in five seconds!"

"You're in this one alone, Sirius. Sorry."

As one, the other three Marauders gathered their things and made for the boys' dorm, leaving Sirius to his own devices.

Politics, indeed. They weren't about to encourage him on this one – Sirius in any higher-up position in the government would spell disaster on a world-wide scale.


End file.
